Be picky about calories! 4 tips for eating healthy New Year dishes

If you don’t follow certain foods during the Spring Festival, be careful of getting a fat belly after the New Year! According to a survey, nearly 45% of people gained weight during the Chinese New Year, with an average increase of 1.7 kg. Taking this year's 9-day Lunar New Year holiday as an example, as long as one meal a day exceeds 1,800 calories, you may gain 1.4 kg after the New Year. The National Health Administration urges people to be mindful of calories when eating during the New Year holidays. Whether taking out New Year dishes or buying New Year ingredients, the public is advised to keep in mind four tips to avoid adding burden to the body. (Video/Photographer Huang Zhiwen)

If you don't follow any dietary restrictions during the Lunar New Year holiday, be careful or you might gain 1.4 kg during the 9-day holiday. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

[After the Chinese New Year, 45% gained an average of 1.7 kg]

According to the National Health Administration, during the 101st New Year holiday, a "Survey on Weight Control during the Spring Festival" was conducted in 22 counties and cities across the country. A total of 1,087 valid samples over the age of 18 were collected, and it was found that nearly 45% of the people would gain weight, with an average increase of about 1.7 kilograms. If we calculate based on this year's 9-day annual leave, for example, for a 60 kg adult, as long as any meal per day exceeds 1,800 calories, the weight may increase by 1.4 kg after the New Year, and the calories from snacks and drinks will be even higher.

Chiu Shu-ti, director of the National Health Administration, explained that the basal metabolic rate of a 60-kg adult is 1,800 calories per day, and it is advisable to consume no more than 600 calories in one meal. However, a New Year's Eve dinner for one person can easily contain 1,800 calories, which exceeds the required 1,200 calories. If even one meal exceeds this limit over the course of nine days, it will add 10,800 calories. Based on the calculation that 7,700 calories increase per kilogram, the amount will increase by about 1.4 kilograms after the New Year, which is equivalent to a fatter belly.

A common New Year’s Eve dinner contains up to 1,880 calories per person. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

【4 tips for healthy card selection】

You have to eat smartly during the New Year to reduce your calorie intake. If you eat a lot of pork knuckle, braised fish, Dongpo pork, Buddha jumps over the wall, fried spring rolls, fried rice cakes, etc., a New Year's Eve dinner can easily exceed 1,800 calories. Director Chiu Shu-ti pointed out that 1,800 calories can only be consumed by jogging for 2.5 hours or cycling for 6.5 hours, and most people are unable to exercise immediately after eating the New Year's Eve dinner. She suggested that we should remember the 4 secrets to healthy calorie saving.

1. Calorie calculation: Whether you are taking out New Year's Eve meals or buying ingredients, you must read the calorie labels carefully. People can choose dishes with lower calories and estimate the appropriate calories based on the number of people in the family.

2. Choose carefully: If you buy takeout New Year's Eve dishes, you can remove the white solidified fat before heating to reduce calorie intake. When enjoying the New Year's Eve dishes, you can also drink clear soup first or start eating with vegetables to increase your sense of fullness. Remove the fried coating, fat with too much oil, and chicken skin before eating the food. Don't drink thickened or thick vegetable juice. In addition, foods such as mullet roe and offal are too high in cholesterol and should not be eaten too much.

3. Abundance every year: People are advised to share larger portions of food such as pork ribs and chicken legs, or divide one meal into two meals to avoid overeating. After the meal, people should clean up first and move to the living room to chat to avoid continuing to sit and eat.

4. Add more fruits and vegetables: It is recommended that people prepare extra green vegetables or fresh fruits and vegetables and add appropriate amounts to meat or soup. For example, radish can be added to stews; chrysanthemum, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms can be added to pots; and blanched mustard greens, cauliflower, etc. can be added to meat to increase dietary fiber intake.

Remember the secret and choose healthy New Year dishes. One person only needs to consume 720 calories. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

Director Chiu Shu-ti reminded that during the reunion period, sugar-free tea and various fresh fruits can be kept on hand as food for reunion and chatting. This can also increase satiety and prevent excessive intake of meat and fish. In addition, you can also make an appointment with three or five good friends to go out for a spring outing to maintain your relationship and use outings to walk and exercise more to burn calories.